Low energy acoustic pulse apparatus and method

A method of delivering an acoustic energy pulse, said method comprising:

• providing an acoustic energy pulse generating apparatus;
• generating an acoustic energy pulse and delivering the acoustic energy pulse from the acoustic energy pulse generating apparatus;
• wherein said delivering comprises delivering the acoustic energy pulse characterized by an energy density field that can be measured at all points within a space in the shape of an imaginary cylinder having a length greater than or equal to 2 cm and a diameter;
• wherein the cylindrically shaped space has a proximal end, a distal end and a cylinder longitudinal axis, the cylinder longitudinal axis oriented relative to a longitudinal axis of the acoustic energy pulse at an angle in the range from zero to twenty degrees, the proximal end located at a first distance from the generating apparatus, the distal end located at a second distance from the generating apparatus, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance;
• wherein a minimum energy density for the delivered pulse at all locations within the cylindrically shaped space is at least 50% of a maximum energy density for the pulse within the space;
• and
• wherein the maximum energy density is in a range from 0.005 mJ/mm2 to 0.123 mJ/mm2, and the diameter is greater than or equal to 10 mm.

A method of delivering an acoustic energy pulse into a body, said method comprising:

• providing an acoustic energy pulse generating apparatus;
• contacting the acoustic energy pulse generating apparatus to the body;
• generating the acoustic energy pulse and delivering the acoustic energy pulse into the body;
• wherein the acoustic energy pulse has an energy density field that can be measured at all points within a space in the shape of an imaginary cylinder having a length greater than or equal to 2 cm and a diameter;
• wherein the cylindrically shaped space has a proximal end, a distal end and a cylinder longitudinal axis, the cylinder longitudinal axis oriented relative to a longitudinal axis of the acoustic energy pulse at an angle in the range from zero to twenty degrees, the proximal end located at a first distance from the generating apparatus, the distal end located at a second distance from the generating apparatus, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance;
• wherein a minimum energy density of the pulse at all locations within the cylindrically shaped space is at least 50% of a maximum energy density of the pulse within the space;
• and
• wherein the maximum energy density is in a range from 0.005 mJ/mm2 to 0.123 mJ/mm2, and the diameter is greater than or equal to 10 mm.

A method of treating the female urethra of a patient, said method comprising:

• providing an acoustic energy pulse generating apparatus;
• contacting the acoustic energy pulse generating apparatus to a body of the patient, in contact with or adjacent to an end of the urethra;
• generating an acoustic energy pulse and delivering the acoustic energy pulse into the body, in a direction along a length of the urethra;
• and
• as a result of said treating, improving a function of the urethra by at least 30% compared to the function prior to said treating.

An apparatus for generating acoustic energy pulses for delivery into a living body, said apparatus comprising

• a housing comprising an opening and a longitudinal axis, wherein said longitudinal axis extends through said opening;
• an acoustic energy pulse generator wherein at least a portion of said acoustic energy pulse generator is contained within said housing;
• and
• a contact portion configured to be placed in contact with or adjacent to the living body, and positioned such that an acoustic energy pulse generated by said acoustic energy pulse generator passes through said contact portion;
• wherein said acoustic energy pulse generator is configured to generate and deliver the acoustic energy pulse along a urethra of the living body in a direction along a length of the urethra, said acoustic energy pulse having an energy density field that is dimensioned to therapeutically encompass urethral sphincter muscles of the patient;
• and
• wherein a first volume of said energy density field having a minimum energy density that is at least 50% of a maximum energy density of said first volume is configured to encompass a second volume of at least thirty percent of the urethral sphincter muscles.